Traction Box Blades

Marveltone · May 17, 2014

Over the three years I've had my box blade, I've learned the key to smoothness is to keep it slow, plus one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on the lift, so those micro-adjustments can be made at a moment's notice. I look at it as a patience exercise. I feel the dreaded speed bumps are sometimes a product of running too fast to be able to make the proper adjustments before it's too late.

The issue of implement size vs. tractor size can also be addressed by patience. For example, my Ford 1510 only weighs around 3200 lbs with the loader attached, turf tires and only 22 engine hp. I'm puling a 418 lbs, 62" box blade. It would be easy to overwhelm the tractor by extending the rippers and dropping the blade like a bad habit and trying to dig a hole to China in one fell swoop. I don't believe that's always the best way to use them. Shallower ripping passes followed by scooping out the loose dirt can yield excellent results in lightweight, low hp tractors, while keeping a blade wide enough to still cover your tracks. Yes, it takes longer, but the results are worth it.

Joe

ovrszd · May 18, 2014

Good points Joe. The secret to success with a BB is patience. Repeat passes. Little at a time. I believe that to be true with any ground engagement leveling tool. I run a road grader. When working dirt I make a lot of passes that the untrained eye would question. Success is the finished product and has nothing to do with pass count.

/pine · May 18, 2014

Just a realistic observation based on my experience...

Regardless of size...

If you are using a box blade for grading, shaping, etc. etc... and not just "maintenance"...to achieve a professional level of efficiency you absolutely have to have hydraulic top and tilt...

IMO... there is no single (non powered, drag) implement that can do more labor saving work than a box blade with scarifiers...but without the ability to change the x and y attitudes on the fly you will never realize the full utility of a box blade...

streamin · May 18, 2014

/pine said:
If you are using a box blade for grading, shaping, etc. etc... and not just "maintenance"...to achieve a professional level of efficiency you absolutely have to have hydraulic top and tilt...

IMO... there is no single (non powered, drag) implement that can do more labor saving work than a box blade with scarifiers...but without the ability to change the x and y attitudes on the fly you will never realize the full utility of a box blade...

I agree, My first tractor did not have tnt and I got it with the second one. A must have IMO.
Question: my new tractor is a bit wider than 6 ft, I believe 75 inches. I got a deal on the 6 ft box blade but haven't tried it out much yet. So does anyone think that 3 inches is enough to go to a 7 ft boxblade?

jenkinsph · May 18, 2014

/pine said:
Just a realistic observation based on my experience...

Regardless of size...

If you are using a box blade for grading, shaping, etc. etc... and not just "maintenance"...to achieve a professional level of efficiency you absolutely have to have hydraulic top and tilt...

IMO... there is no single (non powered, drag) implement that can do more labor saving work than a box blade with scarifiers...but without the ability to change the x and y attitudes on the fly you will never realize the full utility of a box blade...

And add hydraulic scarifiers to that and you don't need to leave the seat.

streamin · May 18, 2014

jenkinsph said:
And add hydraulic scarifiers to that and you don't need to leave the seat.

Yea, then you would have to get a 3rd remote, gotta draw the line somewhere, lol

FTG-05 · May 18, 2014

Marveltone said:
Over the three years I've had my box blade, I've learned the key to smoothness is to keep it slow, plus one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on the lift, so those micro-adjustments can be made at a moment's notice. I look at it as a patience exercise. I feel the dreaded speed bumps are sometimes a product of running too fast to be able to make the proper adjustments before it's too late.

The issue of implement size vs. tractor size can also be addressed by patience. For example, my Ford 1510 only weighs around 3200 lbs with the loader attached, turf tires and only 22 engine hp. I'm puling a 418 lbs, 62" box blade. It would be easy to overwhelm the tractor by extending the rippers and dropping the blade like a bad habit and trying to dig a hole to China in one fell swoop. I don't believe that's always the best way to use them. Shallower ripping passes followed by scooping out the loose dirt can yield excellent results in lightweight, low hp tractors, while keeping a blade wide enough to still cover your tracks. Yes, it takes longer, but the results are worth it.

Joe

Funny you should mention that. I have a one mile gravel road to maintain (I'm the only one of four houses that has a tractor) and I've found that I can do a much better job by a) going slower and b) not taking such a big cut per pass. When I slowed down and decreased the "bite" of the front edge of the BB, the results I got were much better.

I plan to design and install some gauge wheels in the next couple weeks, so I hope that helps as well. 90% is ok, it's the two or three 50 yard areas that turn to mud that are the PIA to work.

Thanks,

jenkinsph · May 19, 2014

FTG-05 said:
Funny you should mention that. I have a one mile gravel road to maintain (I'm the only one of four houses that has a tractor) and I've found that I can do a much better job by a) going slower and b) not taking such a big cut per pass. When I slowed down and decreased the "bite" of the front edge of the BB, the results I got were much better.

I plan to design and install some gauge wheels in the next couple weeks, so I hope that helps as well. 90% is ok, it's the two or three 50 yard areas that turn to mud that are the PIA to work.

Thanks,

I have a lot of time operating box blades and it does help to slow down to a speed where you can control the blade as needed. In your case maintaining a one mile road a land plane grader blade would be better than adding wheels to a box blade. If you can weld you can build a land plane for about $110 /ft so a 6' would run about $700.

I am adding wheels to my box blade to use with a laser and the cost for wheels and hydraulics is more than the $700 above. For most people I would think that having a separate land plane to drag the drives and roads would be a good choice.

C4Ranch · May 19, 2014

Agree, keep it slow. I would rather take 1-2 passes at 2 mph than 4-5 passes at 4mph!

Currently running 78" Gannon 4x2 with hydraulic rippers, triple remotes and TNT. Great to be able to move 1.2k#s of steel front to back and tilt with a single finger!